PRO FOOTBALL

PRO FOOTBALL; Ram and Viking Coodinators Set for Game Inside the Game

By THOMAS GEORGE

Published: January 16, 2000

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 15—
There were demons and hexes and jinxes that the St. Louis Rams needed buried.

In recent seasons, they had been a stumbling bunch, especially on offense. There were turnovers and dropped passes, fumbles and broken assignments. And a timid approach.

The Rams kept gathering better players, and this season placed the offense into the hands of Mike Martz, the new offensive coordinator who arrived from the Washington Redskins. He decided the Rams were rich in perimeter players. So, that is how the Rams decided they would play it this season, fast and loose in a daring perimeter passing game.

A true test of this strategy surfaced after the Rams bolted to a 3-0 record. It was in a home game in October against San Francisco. Talk about demons and jinxes -- the 49ers had clobbered the Rams in 17 consecutive games. Ahead by 28-10 with 1 minute 59 seconds left before halftime, the Rams had the ball at their 9-yard line. Martz called for a pass, but the play exploded. San Francisco safety Tim McDonald hit quarterback Kurt Warner, and the ball was fumbled into the end zone where 49ers end Junior Bryant recovered it for a touchdown. The Rams' halftime lead was 11 points instead of 18. But Martz kept firing, and St. Louis won, 42-20.

After the game, some Rams talked about being greedy in that situation and maybe learning a lesson of self-control.

But Martz then and the rest of the Rams now insist on being greedy and attacking relentlessly. It is what they are. It is what they do and plan to do in their playoff battle with the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in the Trans World Dome here.

''From the very first day I got here, we said this is what we want to do: set the tempo and control the pace of the game,'' Martz said. ''Now, that can get you some three-and-outs. It can get you some turnovers. But we talked about it, thought it out and said we want to use our perimeter people to make plays and have our quarterback get rid of the ball and score points. It's what we do.''

They do it exceptionally well. So do the Vikings. That is why it would not be a surprise if each team scores 30 points on Sunday.

The Rams rank first in the National Football League in total offense (fifth in rushing and first in passing). Their 526 points led the league. They average 400.8 offensive yards a game. They scored 13 rushing touchdowns and 42 passing touchdowns. Warner, the league's most valuable player, led all passers with 41 touchdowns.

The Vikings rank third in total offense (14th in rushing and fifth in passing). They average 362.1 offensive yards a game. They scored 13 rushing touchdowns and 32 passing touchdowns. In 11 starts, quarterback Jeff George threw for 23 touchdowns.

The tussle for control Sunday between Martz and Ray Sherman, the Vikings' offensive coordinator, will be explosive.

While the Rams have continually accelerated their attack, the Vikings have sought to become more of a pounding, deliberate team with running back Robert Smith.

''We strive to keep some balance between the run and pass, and that can be hard to do with Jeff and a couple of receivers like Cris Carter and Randy Moss on your side,'' Sherman said. ''But you can see that Robert brings a home run hitter in the running game. He is hitting his stride.''

Vikings Coach Dennis Green said: ''Our style of play is moving toward two tight ends and more toward the regular formation over the last four games, with a fullback in the backfield. We think that is really our biggest weapon. When you do that, you have to have patience in the running game.''

If the Vikings can run it, they will keep the explosive St. Louis offense from the ball. But sooner or later, the Rams will get to touch the ball.

''One of the biggest things about our offense is that we've got some tough guys; it's not all speed,'' Martz said. ''We've got some physical people and we take pride in being physical. You can't make the plays we've made in our offense without having a physical offensive line that protects. And we're proud of that group -- there is only one starter, Orlando Pace, in it from last year.''

The Vikings' offensive line has also meshed lately; it pounded Dallas in Minnesota's wild-card playoff victory last Sunday. And yet the Vikings still burned the Cowboys with fancy passes to Carter and Moss.

St. Louis, however, features running back Marshall Faulk as a pass-catching threat and four receivers with impressive speed, the star among them being Isaac Bruce, a Pro Bowl selection.

''Isaac can play the game in a different zone,'' Martz said. ''He can be outrageous. He is so fast, so quick, so energized. Isaac can play lights out.''

So can both offenses.

Photos: Rams' Kurt Warner, right, the N.F.L.'s most valuable player, led the league with 41 touchdown passes. Starting 11 games this season, the Vikings' Jeff George, below, threw for 23 touchdowns. (Photographs by Allsport)